Calender



March 2 1926.

H. W. BUTTERWORTH, JR

CALENDER Filed Jul 16, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet'l lnvenfor.

March 2,1926. 1,575,539

' H. W. BUTTERWORTH, JR

CALEHDER Filed July 16, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 U Horn ey.

. Patented Mar. 2, 19 26.

UNITED STA ES 1,515,539 PATENT our-"Ice.

HARRY W. BUTTERWORTH, JR., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO B. H. BUTTERWORTH dc SONS COMPANY,

A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIL OALENLDER.

I Application filed July 16, 1925. Serial No. 44,135.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY W. BUTTER- WORTH, Jr., a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Penn sylvania, have invented an Improvement in Calenders, of which the following is a specification.

' Calendars for treating textile material in the web employ in their construction rolls whose surfaces may be indented if permitted to remain at rest with the weight of upper rolls of the series exerting their pressure downward and it has, therefore, been the customary practice, when the calender 1s out of use, to separate the rolls so that they remain in suspended positions clear of each other and whereby there is no vpressure between the adjacent rollsi v Hydraulic means have been employed for raising and lowering the rolls for the purpose of causing their separation when out of use and returning them into contact when in operation, but said operations have necessitated com lications and manual manipulations whic have consumed much time and more or less uncertainty in securing the required results, as have heretofore been in use have not been satisfactory.

The object of my invention is to provide hydraulically operated means for putting the rolls into and out of contacting relation which will insure accurate adjustments under predetermined conditions and be quickly effective without requiring any special care on the part of the operator.

y invention consists in a calender pro vided with hydraulic means for raisin and lowering the rolls when combined wit automatically operated means for locking the plungers of the hydraulic means in their elevated positions when the rolls are being raised and for automatically releasing the said plungers when the rolls are to be lowered or separated, said operations being put into action by mere variation in the pressures of the fluid in the cylinders of the hydraulic means.

My invention also consists of details of construction which, to ether with the features above enumerate are fully described hereinafter and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figural is a and, therefore, such devices side elevation (with a portion shown in section) of a calender machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectlon of the same, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the hydraulic means for raising and lowering the rolls; and Fig. tail.

, 2 are the housings and may be made in any suitable manner, but havlng a vertical guideway through which the bearings of the rolls may extend. 3 illustrates the lowermost roll Which is preferably of hardened steel. The next roll above 4: is a finishing roll-and preferably of a composite construction. Above this roll there is a second roll 5 of hardened steel. Above the roll 5 is a second composite roll 6and above this again is an upper steel roll 7. While there are five rolls shown, I do not limit myself to any particular number of rolls.

8 are the end bearings of the rolls and are guided during operation between the bearing blocks extending from the walls of the housings. During the operation of the machine, the rolls rest in contact with each other, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The lowermost roll 3 is supported in bearings 9 carried by horizontal frames 10 vertically adjustable in the guide openings in the housings. Immediately below the frames 10 there are hydraulic plungers 11 moving vertically in hydraulic cylinders 12. When water is supplied under pressure to the cylinders, the lungers 11 are raised and, through the rames 10 and bearings 9, apply an upward pressure to the bearings 8 of the lowermost roll 3; When the roll 3 is raised, it is brought into contact-with the roll 4, lifting it clear of its supporting plate 33, and this action in turn causes the to be successively raised clear of their corresponding supporting plates 33, until all rolls 5, 6 and 7 means of the horizontal sliding ork shaped plates 14, the same guided in 'deways 16 ulic cylinin the top plates 17 of the hy position by 4 is a sectional elevation of a deders. Each of the fork sha'pedplates 14 is provided; with a slot 15 whose width is a proximately equal to the diameter of t e plungers at the annular grooved portions thereof. When the plates 14 are in the position shown in Fig. 3, the lungers 11 may be raised or lowered, according as to whether water is supplied to the hydraulic cylinders or released therefrom. When the plungers have been moved to their uppermost positions and the fork shaped plates 14 are pushed horizontally toward the plungers, the side portions of the slots 15 project under the upper or head portions of the plungers 11 and support the same when the water pressure to the hydraulic cylinders is reuced. When in this position, the parts are as indicated in Fig. 1. At this time, the water ressure to the cylinders is released so that t e plungers are definite] supported upon the plates 14 and, there ore, have a definite level of vertical adjustment. The same movement takes place at each end of the rolls. When the lungers have forced the rolls upwardly so t at they are pressing in contact with each other, as indicated in Fig. 1, the journals of roll 7 press upon the bearings attached to the blocks and move them upward to force their screws 36 u wardly with a corresponding raising of the levers 37 from the supporting screws 42,

which action will make the weights 41 cffective through the levers 40 and rods 39 to apply a denite predetermined pressure upon the uppermost roll 7 to assist the gravit action of the rolls in maintaining their rol in contact one with the other.

0 make the apparatus automatic, I rov vide the mechanism shown in Fig. 4 an at ,the right hand end of Fi 3, and which will side of the calender will be simultaneously moved in the same direction so that they will lock the plun ers in their-elevated 0- sitions or release them so that they may fiescend, as may be required. To operate the rockshaft 18 automatically, I provide a weight 22 secured to the outer end of an arm 21 which is provided with a hub 23 loosely journaled upon the rockshaft 18, but

\ also having a radial slotted portion 25 in the hub through which apin 24 extends and is attached to the rockshaft 18,-.as clearly shown in Fig.4. In all of the figures the wei ht 22 is ositioned for automatically wit drawing the plate 14 from the plunger been raised, then the weig t 22 is moved over to the dotted position in Fig. 1 which has the effect of moving the plate 14 against the outer surface of the plunger. When water pressure is supplied to the hydraulic cylinder 12 below the plunger and the plunger rises, the plate 14 will engage the annular recessed portion 13 of the plunger when it is raised sufliciently high to 001110 into alinement with the plate, this movement of the plate into engaging connection with the plun er being caused by the gravity action of the Weight 22. It will be seen, therefore, that it is only necessary to swing the weight 22 back or forward of the axis of the rockshaft 18 to supply power to cause the forked plate 14 to automatically move backward to release, the plunger or to move forward to engage it, as the case may be. The operator will, therefore, merely set the weight and thereafter operate the hydraulic pressure applying and releasing means.

28 is a water tank, 29 is a hydraulic pump, and 30 is the hand operating lever therefor. When the pum is operated, water is supplied throu h t e pipe 27 and its branches to the two ydraulic cylinders 12 for raising thevvpldungers and lifting the calender.

rolls. en the plunger is to be lowered, the by-pass valve 31 is opened and the water from the hydraulic cylinders may be h passed back into the tank 28 and ermit t e plungers to descend under the weight of the rolls. A valve 32 may be arranged in. the main pipe '27 to hold the water under pres- ;sure, if desired, but ordinarily that is not necessary because after the plungers have been raised to the maximum lift, they are then supported in their raised position by their bi urc'ated plates 14 and thereafter no reliance has to be placed upon the ressure of the water to hold the rolls in t vated operative positions.

The operation of the device will now be understood. Assuming that the fabric ir eleis being fed from the roll at 43 and over the spreaders 44 to. spread the fabric to its full width, the fabric is then passed between the rolls 3 and 4, thence upward'about the "roll 4 and between the rolls 4 and5, thence upward about the, roll 5 and between the rolls 5 and 6, thence upward about the roll 6 andbetween the rolls 6 and '7, thence over the roll 7 and down to the winding mandrel rolls are-elevatedby the hydraulic plungers,

they will be in-contact, under'gravity and 45. These various rolls are driven by frici the action of the floating weight 41, so that the fabric receives the pinch action between the successive pairs of rolls, and the extent of this pinch action may be adjusted by varying the weights 41. When the hand wheels 38 are turned in adjusting the mapended out of contact with each other and the eflicient means provided in this application will now be available. The weight 22 is moved over from the dotted position to the solidposition shown in Figs. 1 and 4, but the weight of the rolls holds the forked plates 14 against disengagement, notwithstanding the gravity action of the weight 22. The hydraulic pump 29 is then put into action to a slight extent, that is, just sufficient to slightly raise the plungers to relieve the pressure upon the plates 14, whereupon the weight 22 instantly oscillates the rock shaft and its arms 19 to pull the rods 26 and shift the plates 14 out of engagement with the plungers to the position indicated in Fig. 3. Thereupon, the by-pass valve 31 is opened and the water from the hydraulic cylinders 12 is released and discharged into the tank 28 as the plungers descend. When the plung ers descend, the lower frames 10 descend with the plungers with the result that the lower roll 3 is lowered and with it all the other rolls 4, 5, 6 and 7. However, as these rolls descend, the roll 7 comes to rest upon the uppermost supporting plate 33 and as the remaining rolls continue their descent, the roll 6 comes to rest upon the next lower supporting plate. 33 and out of contact with the roll 7, and so on with respect to the rolls 5, 4 and 3, except that when the roll 3 1s in its lowermost position its supporting frames 10 are permitted to hang upon the lowermost links 34, thereby removing all pressure from the hydraulic plungers. In this manner, all of the rolls are hanging in suspension and out of contact with each other so that no pressure is put upon the surfaces of the special rolls 4 and 6, and consequently their surfaces do not become indented or injured. It will be understood that this action of separating the rolls all takes place automatically upon the single act of first increasing the water pressure and then relieving it. It will also be understood that the weight of these rolls ultimately hangs upon the screw rods '36 and the levers 37, the latter being automatically moved down until they rest upon the supporting screws 42.

Reversely, when it is desired to put the adjustment of the rolls into operative relation, the weight 22 is moved over to the dotted position in Fig. 1, but it will not be possible for the plates 14 to fully move because they will be in contact with the outer upper surfaces of the plungers 11. The pump 29 is then operated and the plungers 11 caused to rise by hydraulic pressure in thecylinders 12. The rising of the plungers first lifts the lower roll 3 until it contacts with the roll 4 and so until all of the rolls are lifted and in contactwith each other. At this time, the annular grooves 13 of the plungers come into alinement with the plates 14 and thereupon the weight 22 moves the plates into engagement with the grooves of the plungers, as indicated in Fig. 1.

When this is accomplished, the operation of i the pumpis stopped and the bypass valve 31 opened to permit the plungers to rest upon the plates 14 and which plates in resting upon the surfaces 16 receive the downward thrust due to the rolls. In this manner, all of the rolls will be in direct contact and their journals will be relieved from contact with the plates 33, though at all times the lowermost roll 3 will be resting upon these bearings 9 and frames 10. I

It will be seen that the manual manipulation for putting the machine into and out of operation, so far as the adjustment of the rolls is concerned, is exceedingly simple and involves the requirement of very little time.

As seen in Fig. 2, the adjustable weights 22 have been shown at each end of the rockshaft 18, but their duplication in this manner is not necessary Where the rockshaft 18 extends transversely of the machine and, therefore, a single weighted arm alone may be employed. Where the rockshaft does not. extend throughout the width of the machine, then it will benecessary to employ two of the weighted arms.

'It will now be apparent that I have devised a novel and useful construction which embodies the features of advantage .enumerated as desirable, and while I have in the present instance shown and described the preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice to and reliable results, that I do not restrict myself to the details, as the same are susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

. Having thus described my what I claim as new and desire by Letters Patent is:

1. A calender, comprising a plurality of horizontal rolls arranged in vertical alinement, hydraulically operated means for raising and lowering the said rolls to bring them into contact or permit them to be lowered out of contact with each other, means for suspending the several rolls out of contact to secure invention,

with each other when lowered by the hydraulically operated means, means for utting the hydraulically operated means into and out of action, and means automatically '1 operating to constitute a positive support port them when raised to 1 rolls mto operative contac for the rolls when raised into rolling contact by the hydraulically operated means and the hydraulic pressure thereof has been removed.

2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein further, there is provided manually adjustable means for controlling the automatic means. forcausing them to release the 4. The invention according to claim 1, wherein. the plungers have shouldered portions, and the automatic means comprises movable arts adapted to fit under the shouldered portions of the plungers to support them when raised to put the calender .rolls into operative contact, and manually adjustable means are provided for automatically withdrawing the supporting parts for releasing the lungers w on they are slightly raised pre minary to the lowering of the calender rolls.

5. A calender, comprising a pluralityof.

rolls. and means for supporting the said rolls in suspended relation out of contact with each other, combinedwith a hydraulic oylin-.

- der and plungerarranged to operate upon each end of the lowermost roll to raise it and move all of the rolls into contact with each other, means for suppl ing flu'id under pressure simultaneously to t e two cylinders for raising the plungers, manuall controlled means for releasing the fluid pressure when it is desired to lower the plungers, automatic means for locking the plungers in their elevated positions controlled as to time of action by the rising of the plungers themselves, and adjustable means in connection with the automatic means for raising the same to automatically release the plungers when the fluid ressure supplied is increased to raise the p un ers slightly more than what constitutes t e normal lift whereby the rolls may be lowered by control of the fluid pressure alone.

6. The invention according to claim 5, wherein the plungers are each provided with an annular groove, and the automatic means for locking the plungers comprise forked plates having slotted portions which fit about the grooved portions of the plungers to hold them against downward movement.

7 The invention according to claim 5, wherein the automatic means includes a gravity actuated device which may be manually adjusted for causing the locking means to engage the plun ers to lock them against movement or to re ease the plungers according to the adjustment of the gravity actuated device. v v

8. The invention according to claim 5, wherein the automatic means comprises movable locking parts for the plungers, a rockshaft having arms and connections from said arms to the movable locking parts for reciprocating them, and a ravity actuated device adjustably connectetf with the rockshaft= whereby v1t may be manually positioned to rotate the rockshaft'in either direction as may be required for automatically p unggrs or for releasing them, as the case ma In testimony of which invention, I hereunto set my hand.

HARRY W. BUTTERWORTH, JR.

operating the locking part for locking the 

